Black Friday!!

This has got to be the craziest night ever!!!  Who gets up at 4am on Thanksgiving Day, works until 5pm, and then gets a head start on shopping at 10pm with no sleep in between!!  ABSOLUTELY NUTS!!  But at the same time it has got to be one of the best nights ever.  Have you ever been around some Cardins or Middlebrooks girls when they have had no sleep?!  To start with the goal was to leave by 10pm to head to Opry Mills but as usual my mom (she is over 50 you know) can't find her glasses or her phone which is a pretty common thing these days!!  Hilarious...I am not sure how she ever survived without a cell phone before.  This is almost a part of her as the hair on her head.  Eventually we do get to leave, only to stop at McDonald's to grab a quick bite for the road to give us some shopping energy!!  You would have thought a bus of 200 people showed up because that is how long it took for us to get our food!  Needless to say our itenary was really being messed with by this point...
We finally get to Opry Mills, find a really good parking spot.  We all jump out ready to go stand in line to get in or at least I thought we all jumped out...  Anyone who has children knows how important the child safety lock is right?!  LeAnne is sitting in back on the side that Wilkins is always on and doesn't quite make it out of the vehicle.  Me, mom, and Haley jump out and start walking briskly toward the door then we hear someone banging on the window.  Oh yeah it was LeAnne...there were people sitting in the car next to ours so I am pretty sure they were very entertained by us.  She was stuck in the car which caused me, mom, and Haley to double over laughing instead of running to her rescue.  We are literally standing in the parking lot laughing, trying not to wet ourselves!!  You had to be there it was hilarious!! 
We got some really good deals at the Disney Store and Coco Bonbons (the cutest but very expensive children's clothes).  We left there at about 2:30am to drive back to Murfreesboro, dropped off what we had already bought at the house and took off again.  We went to Toys-R-Us and quickly left because it was absolutely insane in there.  We then stopped at a gas station to get some more food to snack on of course!  (2nd time we have eaten...no wonder the pounds just keep hanging on)  For some reason we decide to stand at Belk's for almost 45 minutes in the freezing cold, with all 4 of us huddled together under one measley little blanket, to get a gift card!!  We just knew that surely one of us would get more than a $5 gift card...NOT!!!  And for some reason, mom used all 4 of our gift cards but we all ended up buying stuff in there...she still knows how to control us even after all these years!!  lol
By this time, LeAnne is done...she literally sleeps the rest of the time while we go to Target (except we woke her up to drop us off at the door and then let her go park somewhere), SAMS, and Kohl's.  We stood in line at Kohl's for almost 2 hours which again I say INSANE!  But at SAMS we got to eat for the 3rd time!  They had sausage and cheese biscuits with a bottle of OJ!!  Good energy food for us while we waited in line at Kohl's.  And of course we round off our morning by stopping @ McDonald's at 9am...YES I SAID 9AM!!  We eat for a 4th time which I don't know if the lack of sleep made us hungry or if it was just all in our heads!! 
After being up for almost 30 hours straight, getting some good deals, and eating my way to every store I finally got about 5 hours of sleep.  It was hard to even get that much because let's not forget I have a 1 year old!! 
Here is the ending to the shopping extravangza or should I say just the beginning...we woke up STARVING!!  So of course we went to CHEDDARS to eat for a 5th time...I can't figure out why I am not dropping wait!!!   HA HA! 
All in all my first Black Friday was quite the experience with loads of fun with just us girls, not a whole lot of sleep but definitely a trip we will talk about for years to come!!  Wish I had pictures to post with this but unfortunately I couldn't get pictures while my arms were full!!

Thanksgiving...exhausting but loads of fun!

Well, we were together all day long in one house and everyone survived!!  It seems like our family just keeps getting bigger and bigger!  There are 13 just in my immediate family and then Patty, Billmon, Cody, Katie, Chris, and Kylie thrown in makes for a pretty fun filled day!!  With all of our winning personalities and sick sense of humor it couldn't get any better!!

This year Haley went all Paula Deen on us...she had the table set with mom's good dishes (she never uses them).  We had all the food on the table and we were going to try to be like on tv where everyone passes the dish around the table but that didn't work for us!!  We ended up passes the plates around!!  LOL

We have to have 3 tables because there are so many of us...the adults at one, the 4 little ones at one, and then the 3 older kids at another one.

After we sit and eat for a good solid hour...minus the tv which is really hard for Bradley and Michael (they love them some football) we eat some more of course!! It is Thanksgiving after all!! What a feast!!  Haley bought a new game this year Pictionary Man or something like that.  We played that which ended up being harder than we thought it would be.  LeAnne, the smartest of all of us (NOT), thought she did real well drawing out "Gusty" which come to find out was "Gutsy"! 

Thank goodness she says because she wouldn't be able to draw that!! What a dork!! We played the guys against the girls and of course ladies we know who is smarter...the LADIES!! We wore them out...it just goes to show that guys are not the brightest crayons in the box... The scary part was LeAnne and Katie were the only two that could guess each other's drawings!!  It was almost like they were sharing a brain which in their case is probably not far off!!! LOL

Enough Pictionary...it was definitely time to eat again and try our hand at some back alley!! Not exactly sure who won at back alley because I took that opportunity to take me a nap!! All that eating can wear a person out!!

 

I do know that the kids really enjoyed playing outside today...I think that they ended up digging some big hole out behind dad's building!!  Hopefully it won't fall over!!  Ha!  Wouldn't that be hilarious?! 

Look at Will and Logan looking all sweet...they are definitely plotting something!!!  These two are very sweet looking but very sneaky too!!! Funny thing is they were covered in tree sap and Will kept wanting LeAnne to cut his hair because he had gotten it in it!! Their hands and arms were covered!! And if you have ever had tree sap on you...well, you know how difficult it is to get off!!

 After everyone left, I put Wilkins in the tub while I helped clean up and little did we know that sneaky little Logan helped himself to a bath too!!! Oh yeah...fully clothed!!! He didn't think anything about it either!! That was the best ending to a great day!!! What can you do but laugh!!

Now to do Thanksgiving at Cracker Barrel for the next 5 days straight...I am glad today was as relaxing as it was.  A lot of good times with great laughs and fun games to start off a very busy, hectic week for me.  Five days of straight turkey, dressing, and all the fixings with very long hours to feed all these crazy people who don't know good home cooking!!  Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Day with your families...and enjoy all the great deals on Black Friday as I will too for the first time in 8 years!!  Finishing an exhausting week with an all night shopping extravaganza...what could be better?!!!

SICK BABY & TIME CHANGE...UGGGGH!

So let me tell you about my last week...

Not only have I been moving which we all know sucks no matter how organized you are, but I also had to be at work at 5am everyday!! YUK!! On top of that Wilkins started running a fever of 103 on Friday so no Halloween party for her...oh yes I was actually prepared and bought her costume about a month ago so big waste of money!! I was up with her all night because she was absolutely miserable so I went to work with absolutely no sleep!! Unfortunately when I am at work I feel like I have 150 kids...my employees have the ability to drive me absolutely bannanas!!! The world solely revolves around them so they think!

Wilkins' 2nd Halloween was spent at home in my arms running a fever again!! Bless her heart while all her cousins were out getting lots of candy she was home taking lots of medicine!! And then of course the time change...you would think that I would be happy about getting an extra hour but it didn't really work out that way!! Have you ever heard of anyone being LATE when you get to fall back an hour...NO!! Well, I was!! I was gonna be on the safe side and set my clock (cell phone) back an hour before I went to bed but low and behold it went back another hour!! I fell back 2 hours!! I was suppose to be at work at 5 am and when I actually realized it was 5:15 instead of 4:15 I almost crapped my pants!! So needless to say I was about 30 minutes late for work and looked a HOT MESS!! But who cares...

After all that I come home to a sick baby who literally screams like she is in serious pain for 2 hours!! I couldn't do anything for her...nothing would relax her. So Haley and LeAnne came over after church to see if they could help but she was just so miserable. They called Bro Pat and a bunch of people from Smyrna to meet back over at the church at 930pm to pray for her. And thank goodness they did! She was asleep when they got back home and slept the entire night!! What a relief it was to get a full night's sleep?!

Unfortunately, her fever came back that afternoon so I went ahead and took her to the doctor only to be told she had "rotavirus" which has now turned into "roseola"!! My poor child has a rash on her and is absolutely itching to death and there is nothing that can be done except for to ride it out!!

I know this sounds a little whiny but this is nothing compared to what the Kellys are going through! So I will continue to keep Miss Kensley in my prayers and be thankful that I only have to deal with a little rash...

Praying for Kensley

It has been quite a while since I have even posted anything...a little girl named Kinsley Kelly is in desperate desperate need of our prayers. I can't say that I have even met this little girl but I do know her family.

I grew up with her parents and was around them and her grandparents quite a bit growing up. I think very highly of her family and know that they do not deserve to be in this situation. I can't imagine what Melissa is feeling...as I sit here and write this I imagine what if this was my little girl and a tear comes to my eye. Would I be as strong as she is? I feel like there is more I should be doing but at the same time, what?!

Kensley has been on my heart and mind since the moment I found out. I am constantly checking my facebook page, texting, checking the "Praying for Kensley" group, and updating everyone I know on how she is doing. I have worked the last two days, physically I am there but emotionally and mentally I am somewhere else. The only things that can be done at this point is praying and donating so I challenge you all to donate all you can and pray more than you normally do.

Wilkins' 15mth dr appointment...

So when do the shots end?? I sure didn't know that when I took Wilkins to the doctor yesterday she was in for 4 more shots!! I wasn't at all prepared for this. She had to have one in each arm and one in each leg but she took it like a champ! She gets really mad and as soon as it is over she looks at the nurse and glares...no tears just a lot of hollering! Bless her heart but she has a clean bill of health. The doctor even mentioned something about her eating...not the lack there of! She weighed 24lbs and was 29in tall. She is growing like a little weed. Unfortunately, she is nothing like a little weed because it just stays put...she is more like a vine winding her way into anything and everything she can get into.

My life just seems to get crazier and crazier...I think that my GM is about to get fired. I can't say that I am sad to see him go but I do feel bad for his family. If he would have only did his job and quit trying to just do what has to be done in order to get by. I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring...my district manager is suppose to be here. I am not worried because I am actually in a really good place as far as work is concerned. I should be a GM by January and make the big bucks!! Then Disney World won't just be once a year...LOL!

My Little Devil...

Wilkins, my little devil...

Wilkins is 15 months old and she keeps me on my toes!! I can't turn my head for one second because if I do she is into something else. You know when people say don't talk about other people's kids because yours will be worse...well they were RIGHT!

I have a mixture of both my sister's kids bad traits...LOL!!

Bryson: loves to eat all the time whether full or not!
Will: always climbing on something he shouldn't be on!
Addy Mae: bossy, girly, stubborn, and instead of a silky we have a big furry blanket...YUK!
Lucas: right under his mommy's feet!
Logan: into everything he shouldn't be in!

And somewhere along the way she got this thing where she stomps her foot!!

She has this one drawer in her room that she can now reach and open that has hair bows, combs, etc... that she just can't stay out of. I literally spatted her leg 5 different times yesterday and it didn't even phase her. She then just went and stood by the drawer pointing at it and crying. She was determined for me to feel sorry for her...needless to say it didn't happen!!

Another thing that really cracks me up is whenever we go out in public everyone comments on how pretty she is. The funny part is they talk about how her lips are perfect!! WHAT?! I have never in my life heard anyone comment on how pretty a babies lips are...have you? I am talking the first time I took her to the doctor when she was just 3 weeks old that is the first thing the nurse said. She actually said perfect lips like Angelina Jolie!! How is that possible? I thought it was a fluke but I was wrong because just the other day I heard it for like the 10th time!!! CRAZY!

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

WOW...have I been busy?! First, on Wednesday of last week my sister, Haley, takes my dad to the emergency room because he was having chest pains. So when I got off work I went to the hospital and stayed until about 11pm. A lot of fun it was to be up there with Wilkins too...she was not having a whole lot of fun until she figured out the wheelchair was sort of a ride...

Unfortunately, I also had to work the next day from 10am-9pm. We also (the Trendy Trio {and mom}) had a wedding to get together by Saturday!! My dad ended up getting to come home on Thursday afternoon with lots of follow up with other doctors. He was diagnosed with periphal artery disease. Not sure if that is how you spell it or not...

So to continue the busy week...I worked 7am-5pm on Friday, 5am-3pm on Saturday, and 5am-5pm on Sunday. When I wasn't at Cracker Barrel dealing with all of our wonderful guests and college kids I was getting stuff ready for this wedding that turned out beautiful!! We stayed up until 1am on Friday night cutting watermelon, cantelope, celery, making sandwiches, etc... Then of course when I left work on Saturday I ran home got a shower and back to the wedding venue to keep everything running smoothly. There was a little bit of rain but it ended up passing so that everything turned out great!! Everyone was really happy with how it turned out especially Shuan and Ashley. I will have more pictures posted to our website in a couple of days. Anyway, we stayed and cleaned up the venue until 11pm so by the time I got in the bed on Saturday night I was exhausted. Unfortunately, I still had to be at work in about 4 hours!!! It was rough but I made it and would do it all over again. I can't wait to see all the pictures of the flowers and the reception. LeAnne and Haley did a great job with all the decorating!! Be sure to checking our website to see the pictures...www.thetrendytrioandmom.com

A Good Book

"We swim in words all day long--stock quotes, headlines that scream, to-do lists, insurance forms, the occasional fashion magazine or dime-store romance. Yet for all their power to occupy or distract us, these types of writing will never compare to a good book.
A really good book doesn't just entertain; it leaves you fundamentally different. It's both a mirror and a magnifying glass--a woven compilation of seemingly small details that has the power to show you your truest self. When you read a good book, you see that everyone's problems are the same, but they're just a jumping--off point--that there are as many ways to live as there are grains of salt in the sea.
How do you know when you've found a good book? Time melts as you read it. Unsuspecting, you crack the spine and find yourself whisked to a place that sings to every cell in your body. Soon you're befriending characters that become soul mates, following a story that seems truer than reality.
Indeed, in the middle of a good book, you become so wrapped up in the story that you forget about this language, the way an exquisite painting renders color transparent. No on word, or hue, stands out as the most beautiful--they are all elemental, irreplaceable, in one complete, perfectly balanced whole.
Then, as you near the end of the book, you start metering out the pages in small doses because you don't want to leave the special world you've entered.
Most of all, a good book inspires you. As the words flow in and out of you, they change your attitude and open you up to new experiences. Read long enough, and a good book can make you want to be a better person, live a better life, talk to strangers, jet off to Paris, pick up a pen to write your own stories.
Next time a good book finds you, take a moment to give thanks for how one object, no bigger than the span of two palms, can contain so much of the world, teach you so much of what it means to be human, and make you feel so alive."

My little girl...

Wilkins has become quite the little accessorizer (don't know if I spelled that correctly or not)...

It's funny how at such a young age she already puts necklaces on, holds out her arm for her braclets or purse, and always brings me a hairbow to put in. What would be even funnier is if she actually brought me hairbows that matched!! She loves to put her sunglasses on top of her head not on her eyes...

It's like she knows it is more stylish to wear them there!! It's crazy! She is so girly, but at the same time she is so rough it's ridiculous. She just plows into Logan (her cousin who is 6mths older) like it's nothing. She falls down and has crazy bruises all over her legs but she hardly ever cries. It's amazing to see all the different sides of her personality developing. I mean she absolutely loves her baby which is a small Minnie Mouse and a Minnie Mouse that is almost the size of her. She drags these dolls around everywhere and calls them her "baba". She loves on them and for some reason chews on the nose!!

And let's not forget Dora the Explorer...I think her first word was "backpack". I am not joking!! She says that word a million times a day and unfortunately she walks around with that stupid Dora backpack on for hours!! She almost looks like she is going to school. It is so funny! The good thing is that she will watch Dora the Explorer and The Mickey Mouse Playhouse for hours too. So when I have worked really long hours or really late at night she will lay on the couch beside me and watch tv while I snooze!!!
Who can complain about there 1 year old laying on the couch snuggling and letting you take a nap all at the same time?!

But just as she is good she is definitely bad...she loves to pull all of her clothes out of her drawers, play in the toilet with my mom's hair brush (ha ha) which I think is funny because my mom thinks Wilkins does no wrong! She loves to empty my purse or the diaper bag and put it all back in. And what is it about kids...she loves to eat paper!!!! Better yet anything that will fit in her mouth she will try! It drives me nuts!!!

The weirdest thing about Wilkins so far is the way her teeth is coming in. Her first two teeth were her top two fang teeth (canines) and then her bottom front tooth. For the longest she literally looked like a Jack-o-lantern. Now she has all 4 front teeth on top, still just the bottom front tooth, and now she has her jaw tooth on the bottom on both sides!! This seems crazy to me...is this normal?!!

Isn't this a funny thing...

I would say we were about 13 or 14 years old and we thought we were so cool!! I have such a good time today talking with Melia and Jill about this picture and others. Remembering the summers we spent together, and how much fun we had. I think that I would love to go back to this time in my life. No cares and just lots of get togethers with friends.

I have no idea why we decided that we would dress a like or where in the world I found shoes that matched so perfectly. Oh goodness they were so ugly. But I guess all that matters is how you felt in that moment and in that moment you can tell that we were having a good ol' time and we thought we looked pretty darn good!!

Just looking back brings such a smile to my face...

A late night...

I am just sitting here at the computer trying to figure this blogging thing out...

Maybe I am completely stupid but this is a lot more complicated than I thought. I should already be in bed considering that Wilkins will be bright eyed and bushy tailed at about 7:00am. That is only a few hours from now but I am determined to get this figured out!!

We'll see...